"This must be stopped," Sessions said. "And the American people have the power to stop it. That begins with asking a simple question: where do your Senators stand?”

Sessions wants the Senate to vote on House-passed legislation which, among other things, would block the president's deferred deportation program as well as his plan to grant work permits to millions more illegal immigrants.

Although Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is blocking a vote on the House bill, "Reid acts only with the blessing of his members in the Democrat conference," Sessions said. But, he added, the American people have the power to force a vote by putting pressure on their elected senators.

"Any Senator who fails to request such a vote is complicit in these planned actions," he added.

Sessions called it "chilling" that immigration activists are now "plotting" with the Obama administration to "collect their spoils through executive fiat."

"The American people have begged and pleaded for years for our immigration laws to be enforced. But the politicians have refused."

"Now these planned executive actions would nullify our laws, invite a massive new wave of unimpeded illegality, and strip the American people of their lawful right to have their jobs and communities protected. This must be stopped."

The White House repeated on Wednesday that an announcement on immigration policy is expected in "late summer" -- but not in the next few days, when the president is scheduled to return to the White House for reasons that are still not clear.